Having a financially responsible teenager starts by having money smart pre-teens. Fortunately the basic skills to teach your pre-teen that will put them on the path to being a financially responsible teenager are relatively simple to teach. Kids as young as 8 can often start learning these skills.

It’s July, half the year has already passed and if you haven’t achieved all of your financial goals, don’t worry. There is plenty of time to straighten out your problems and get back on track with your financial goals with a few simple strategies.

As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, FORUM is owned by you, our members. This structure allows us to return profits to members through dividends, lower interest rates on loans, and investments to our member service efforts including employees, branch locations, and technology. As a result of our ownership structure, we are politically active to help shape legislation that focuses on government regulations that impact our ability to efficiently serve you

Disputes about money continues to be cited as the number one reason that couples in committed relationships have troubles. Often times these problems could have been avoided if the couples actually talked about money. Only a few subjects really need to be broached by couples to have an effective long term relationship as it relates to money issues.

Whether you’re going to college or attending high school, FORUM’s Student Checking Account gives you the flexibility and services to accommodate your lifestyle. Plus, right now if you open a Student Checking Account before August 31, you’ll be entered to win a MacBook Air computer!*

June is National Safety month and besides all of the concerns for your personal safety, you should also consider precautions to keep your financial information safe as well. There are ways to keep your money and your identity secure and most start with being aware and informed.

For anyone who wants to improve their financial situation, the first step is usually tracking their spending to see where their money is going. The second and much harder step, deciding where their money should be going which usually means a drastic change in financial habits.

Parents of high school seniors will soon be facing the reality of paying for college and for some this could be a scary prospect. Most parents want to help their kids avoid massive student loan debt upon graduation and even if you are not fully prepared to pay for college there are still ways to help your child even at this late date.